Monday, March 15, 2010

RIP Peter Graves 1926-2010

Little Miss Attila does a nice send-off for Peter Graves, one of the most influential actors in my formative years.  His role in Mission Impossible in some small way led me joining the military - and his characters actions reflected honorably upon himself and (in character) upon what a benevolent society will do to protect its interest and people.  In other words, how our country USED to be. Graves' legacy was so poorly portrayed in the Tom Cruise films - I shudder thinking of them.

Graves was part of possibly the most unheralded team of brother actors ever - his brother Peter Arness (both were born Aurness) played Marshall Dillion in Gunsmoke from 1955-1975.  Gunsmoke was the bellwether of early American dramas, and once the longest running weekly show on television. It was "must-see TV" in my home; viewed "in living color" on the 21 inch tube-filled Zenith TV with 2 remotes (my sister and I, turning the dials and adjusting the volume as parented requested).

This blog will self-destruct in 5 seconds.  RIP Peter, good luck.  And in remembrance, some of your best work outside MI....

No comments:

Post a Comment